Third Time's the Charm
by Mansah
Summary: Three moments when Cappie wanted to lavaliere Casey. No copyright infringement intended


Found one of those unfinished mini stories in my harddrive and thought it might be worth publishing.

I own nothing whatsoever.

Criticism, comments etc are loved...

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**Third time's the charm**

Cappie realises that he loves Casey as she's paying for a basketful of foodstuff in a drugstore. She turns around and smiles at him and he's fucking sold, because was there ever such an image of perfection. White teeth gleaming and sun-kissed blond hair and big eyes filled with innocence and laughter. It's only two months into their relationship and he knows that this is the girl he wants to be with forever. The next day, drunk on love and vodka, he goes to the Pan Hellenic shop and asks for the Kappa Tau Gamma lavaliere and he toys with various grand gestures to accompany the moment when he gives it to her.

He doesn't mean to tell his frat brothers but it's hard to keep a secret when you're wasted and so he spills the beans to Egyptian Joe while they're having a session of big-little bonding. He wasn't expecting the response either, because he somehow always thought that love would go well with Egyptian Joe's laidback go-with-the-flow attitude. Instead he gets a warning about the dangers of tying oneself down and man's responsibility to spread his oats and let them fly in the wind. He guesses he should have known better, it's only been a few months but he's pretty sure that Kappa Taus aren't big on silly, romantic Greek traditions –after all, they're the rebels!

So he goes to Evan after this, pretty confident that he'll gain his full support. After all, isn't Omega Chi all about conventionality and picket white fences? They're probably quizzed on the steps of Greek courtship as part of their pledging. Needless to say he's more than a little surprised by Evan's look of horror at the suggestion.

'Are you kidding me, dude? Do you want to scare her away?

'No, I mean to sweep her off her feet. Girls like that.'

'Yes, but how long have you been dating? Honestly Cap, no matter how romantic the girl is, two months is going to feel a little early to be promising forever. Trust me. I only want what's best for you. Show her that you care by all means but maybe find some less over the top way.'

So Cappie packs away the lavaliere in his dresser and decides to stick to what young folks do: Live in the present and have a jolly good time.

He doesn't realise this, but despite the realisation at the drugstore he also forgets to tell Casey that he loves her as he gets too caught up in parties, drinking and fraternity shenanigans. It's only later, when he sees his girl dancing with his (former) best friend that he realises that he never actually told Casey that he loves her.

He goes to see her the next day, lavaliere tucked into his left pocket. There's no grand gesture and no script but he figures it'll come to him when he sees her. Except of course his life is not a fucking film and she's livid when she finally agrees to see him and it doesn't feel like the right time to pour his heart out. Not when she's asking him for explanations and crying and telling him that her ZBZ sisters were right and that he's never going to be fit to take anywhere and that, frankly, she's not even sure that she wants to take him anywhere anymore.

The lavaliere returns to the drawer and Cappie swears he's finished with foolish romance. On bad days he takes it out and dreams of what might have been while he downs a six-pack of beer but the time between those moments grow and one day, he's able to help another doomed brother out with only a twinge of regret and wishful thinking. Still, when the cursed Kappa Tau necklace eventually finishes its journey through Beaver's body, he decides to keep it because by that time he has convinced himself that the him and that devilish vixen aren't over yet.

X*X*X*X

The second time Cappie contemplates lavaliering Casey is in their senior year. He doesn't consult with anyone this time but he does spend the weeks before spring break thinking up a number of grand gestures with which he can accompany his letters (they include hiring a barbershop band and finding a _Lady and the Tramp_ like Italian restaurant) but none of it seems to be available at Myrtle Beach and he decides the right moment will show itself through karmic synergy. He spends most of the days during Spring Break trying to provoke intimate moments where handing it over seem natural and romantic. (He pictures how it goes down in his head right down to the swell of the music and her falling on his neck and it's going to be perfection). But then of course they're not very good at perfection and so on a pier at Myrtle Beach a romantic moment turns sour as words are uttered that can't be unspoken and horses turn to mice and suddenly this whole fairy tale shatters to a crumbling conclusion.

He spends the rest of the week with his brothers nursing his broken heart and fuming at Casey because this time he did fucking everything by the book and it's not fair that she's leaving him. (He blocks out the fact that this time he dumped her because it doesn't make him feel even remotely better).

X*X*X*X

The third time Cappie thinks of lavaliering Casey she's leaning over him in the grass and kissing him after she knocked him over from the swing. He doesn't make any great plans for how and when to give it her, but he knows that he'll know when the moment is right. He also knows that this time he's not letting anything mess it up because for a lot of reasons he doesn't want to analyse this is one thing he needs to see happen.

X*X*X*X

They've just arrived at a highway motel exactly one day's drive out of Cyprus Rhodes. The early morning sun is filtering in through the window despite the curtains and he's been lying awake for the last half hour at least just looking at the foxy blonde by his side because it's too fucking surreal that despite everything they're here, together, practically driving into the sunset.

He nuzzles closer to her and she begins to stir and suddenly they're open, those big innocent eyes of hers that mesmerised him since the first time he saw her.

"Good morning milady, how did we sleep last night? I trust the bed was not too springy?"

She smirks at him. "You know, I think a part of me almost expected you to have snuck back to CRU while I was sleeping."

"I told you, I'm here for the whole ride Miss Cartwright, going wherever you're going. To the end of the world if you should so desire." He grins at her. "But if you'll humour me, there _is_ one tiny college experience that I'd like to try out if you'll be so kind to oblige me. If milady would do me the honour of wearing my lavaliere, I should be ever so beholden." He sounds flippant as he says it but, honestly, he's seldom been more serious in his life.

She smiles at him and leans in for a kiss. She's nestled so near to him Cappie is sure she'll be able to feel the nervous thumping of his heart betraying his nonchalant demeanour.

He tries to deflect the tension. "Hey, you can take Cappie out of college but you can't expect to take the college out of Cappie. Rome was not built in a day, and I know, because I was a Classics major once, remember? "

She giggles. "You know, there are some college traditions that I'm completely okay with upholding."

It's embarrassing how he fumbles as he brushes aside her hair and tries to unhook the clasp. It's even more embarrassing that he's feeling his throat constrict when he finally sees his letters nestling against her chest and he notices how her fingers toy with the pendant absentmindedly. He feels fucking victorious and like he has accomplished something, it's a rush of emotion that not much else has made him feel because he recognises that gesture. He remembers the pang he felt when he saw her accepting Evan's lavaliere, the beatific smile as she turned her head to the side to make it easier for him to clasp the letters around her neck. The romantic kiss in the darkness as Omega Chis and ZBZ' were spread out around them, applauding. He remembers too the sting of jealousy when he saw her playing unconsciously with Max' lavaliere as they discussed his love life and pretended to be studying. And now here they are at last, his Kappa Tau lavaliere adorning Casey's neck and the two of them finally together, forever this time if he gets to decide. His time at Kappa Tau will always mean the world to him but home is now where Casey is.


End file.
